Author: Letter to Editor

If there ever was a time for new voices in Minnesota state government, it’s now. Violent crime is up and has spread to the suburbs. Since summer of 2021, three people I know personally and their families have been impacted by violent crimes — armed home invasion, armed theft while getting into an Uber (Uber was carjacked, too), and shot and killed while driving (the “youth baseball coach”). Lives have been changed forever. Crime has been increasing in Minnesota for the past few years. In the past two, it exploded. Source: Minnesota Crime Data Explorer (mn.gov). At a town hall…

Eden Prairie Schools is a top-performing school district. As an elected member of the Eden Prairie School Board from 2012-2015 and an appointed member in 2019 and 2021, I can’t emphasize enough how a change in our school board’s philosophy could take our schools in a direction other than what has produced our success. With five of seven seats up for reelection this fall, it’s critically important we elect board members who will continue to place high expectations for student achievement on district staff, demand proven methods, and maximize taxpayer dollars. For the four 4-year term seats, I am supporting…

I was raised with the concept that “you should leave a place better than you found it.” We Minnesotans now “find” ourselves in the midst of a rapidly changing climate, with Minnesota’s temperature rise outpacing the average rate of warming globally. There is much that we can do as individuals to reduce our impact on Minnesota’s warming climate, including electing leaders who work to protect Minnesota for future generations. Eden Prairie is fortunate to have such a leader in our State Sen. Steve Cwodzinski. As a member of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee, Steve…

With lawn signs popping up, it seems everyone has a solution to our many problems. Unfortunately, two of those posing solutions are the same candidates who created the issues in the first place. Whether it’s “Carlie” for our Minnesota State House or “Cwod” for State Senate, neither wishes to take responsibility. Two issues that are important to Minnesotans are education and public safety. “Carlie,” as she likes to be called, tweeted profusely her support for “re-imagine” the police. Her position has made it impossible for my family to enjoy an evening in downtown Minneapolis for fear of violent crime. Her…

My husband and I grew up in Minnesota, but the Marine Corps took us out of state for many years. In 2010, we finally got back to our beloved state to raise our kids. And for years, it was idyllic to be home. But ever since George Floyd’s death in 2020, it just seems like the leaders of our state have managed to mishandle our most pressing issues. They’ve allowed rioting with impunity, and instead of locking up the perpetrators, they defund the police, which makes us all less safe. In fact, violent crimes are up 22% over last year…

I am writing this letter in a time of turmoil in our democracy. I am a 32-year resident of Eden Prairie and an 84-year citizen of our republic and Minnesota. I know Steve Cwodzinski as my senator, a neighbor, and a friend. As a current practitioner in a counseling and consulting firm that was founded on 11/1/84, Steve and I have had numerous in-depth dialogues about public health, mental health, education, and youth and family development. As a former professor at the Adler Graduate School in Minnetonka, I have been impressed and challenged with the depth of concern, grasp of…

My name is Isaac Kerry, and I am running for school board. There are several issues I am passionate about, but I have one concern that is the driving force behind my campaign: supporting student mental health. The devastating school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, was the galvanizing force behind my decision to run. As a parent, and as a first responder serving on the Eden Prairie Fire Department, I was filled with a keen desire to do everything in my power to ensure something like that does not happen in our community. While big-picture issues like gun control are decided far…

According to a 2021 Ernst and Young press release, electric vehicles (EVs) will dominate U.S. car sales by 2036. In the U.S., EV registrations grew 60% in the first quarter of 2022, even as the overall market fell by almost 20%. The transportation sector is the biggest contributor of greenhouse gases, so this is good news for our climate! If you’ve looked at EVs before and decided against them, please look again! Over 10 years, ranges have gone from under 100 miles to a typical range of about 250 and an amazing 500 for the Lucid Air. New EVs are…

The great news is that since 2017 the 114 central bank members of the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) have been developing scenarios to help financial, government and corporate institutions prepare for the urgent transition to a Net-zero greenhouse gas world. Their work began as a hand-off from earlier work of the G20 Green Finance Study Group. Although not something that is a detailed plan, NGFS’s work has stimulated behind-the-scenes preparations that are being rolled out by major consulting firms with public domain reports on these scenarios to help guide planning. Although encouraging, the irony is the scenario…

To my friends & neighbors in Eden Prairie, It’s been the greatest honor of my life to serve for the last three years as director and clerk on the Eden Prairie School Board. We built on past successes by increasing our graduation rates, making choice programming available to middle and high schoolers, creating capstone opportunities for HS students, and being good stewards of taxpayers’ dollars. We still have lots of work ahead of us in our continued pursuit of educational excellence. As I remain totally committed to this vital work, I’m announcing my candidacy for reelection to the Eden Prairie…